Insulated Concrete Form Installation Protection and Debris Control System

ABSTRACT

This invention is new art forming a system of components that enables installers of Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) to save labor time and effort in multiple aspects of ICF installation. After a course or row of ICF is placed on the footing, another course is started. This procedure is continued until the desired height is reached. Regardless of the concrete dispensing method, dispensing to fill the ICF cavity with concrete is problematic and contaminates the mating surfaces of the ICF. Concrete spillage and splatter cause the ICF interlocking alignment features to become clogged, requiring a manual and time consuming cleaning step, before proceeding with further wall construction. Once completed, water, leaves, snow, ice, and other debris may enter the ICF wall cavity before it is filled. Protection of the unfilled ICF wall is paramount, especially during inclement weather. This invention details such a protection system.

The field of the invention is that of apparatus for use;

Used to protect Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) walls, top matingsurfaces, during the ICF cavity concrete filling operation, whileproviding a suitably robust surface that can withstand the dragging ofconcrete hoppers, funnels, and tools along said wall, while protectingthe underlying top ICF mating surface.

Used to protect the unfilled ICF wall cavity from unwanted debris duringthe time before the concrete is poured into the ICF cavity.

Used to provide dimensional longitudinal straightening of the ICF wallduring ICF cavity filling with concrete.

Used to provide a fastening system for the starter row of ICF blocksonto the footing, providing a dimensionally straight and positiveanti-slip fastening system for the ICF block, being received into saidapparatus

This invention provides significant time savings during the constructionof ICF walls. The invention is designed to be lightweight and applied tothe unfilled ICF blocks by a single individual, taking several secondsinstallation and removal time per block, enabling great time savings byeliminating time consuming cleanup steps.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall is erected by stacking expandedpolystyrene block forms which interlock together, forming a hollow wallstructure which will receive concrete to fill the air space in theformed wall. The concrete provides the structural support and strengthof the wall. Walls are poured in sections, starting at the footing andare usually poured one building story at a time. The ICF blocks havekeying features which allow the blocks to easily stack together to formthe hollow wall form that will receive poured concrete. When pouring,concrete spillage is inevitable and concrete contaminates saidinterlocking features, resulting in significant time and effort removingsaid contaminating concrete from these interlocking features.

As previously stated, ICF walls start at the footing. Attachment of ICFblocks to concrete footings has been problematic. Due to the lightweight nature of the ICF block, the block is easily displaced on thefooting, causing major misalignment problems. This can be cause forextremely expensive teardown and rebuild if the blocks shifted on thefooting and concrete was subsequently poured. Allowing a positive methodof attachment of the forms to the footing is a major advantage affordedby this invention.

After erecting the ICF block wall, some time may pass, days, weeks, orlonger, before concrete is poured into the ICF block cavity. Like anyconstruction project, delays are a very real part of the process. Opento the weather for a period of time, the wall cavity will being to fillwith various unwanted debris, snow, rain water, leaves, even smallanimals may fall into the hollow cavity. It is important that the cavitybe free of debris, especially during cold weather. Debris, snow and iceinside ICF wall cavities must be removed before concrete is pouredotherwise voiding in the wall structure will occur, which will causestructural faults some severe enough to have to replace said section ofwall. These actual problems are routinely encountered during ICF wallconstruction.

The apparatus described herein fits the ICF block very tightly,providing dimensional longitudinal stability to the ICF block wallduring concrete cavity filling operations. The apparatus can be made toconform to the exact cross sectional shape of the interlocking area onthe ICF block. The apparatus can be made to lengths which enables it tospan two or more blocks, thus providing block-to-block straightening.

There are significant patents addressing ICF block technology,scaffolding for ICF construction, and other apparatus for theconstruction of the ICF wall itself, however there are no protection andalignment apparatus designed specifically for ICF blocks identified.Form and bracket patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,172 andapplications 2001/0020351 and 2003/0033782 and 2002/0117596 address theICF form itself. The subject invention does not address the form itselfand is therefore separate from patents related specifically to formtechnology, as this invention is applied to any form at the job site andhas no relationship to the design of the form.

2002/0073634 and similar patents detail specific apparatus used in theconstruction of the wall. No patents have been identified thatdemonstrate apparatus that addresses the protection of the unfilled wallinterlocking surfaces and cavity prior to and during concrete pouring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention consists of a channel apparatus with features 1 through 13as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, forming a dimensionally accurate fitaround the interlocking alignment features or teeth as they aresometimes referred, in the ICF block. The channel assembly fits tightlyover the interlocking features of the block, held firmly in place by thefriction between the block material, usually expanded polystyrene andthe said channel assembly. Features 2, 5, and 12 provide the staticforce necessary to generate this holding friction. The apparatus, wheninstalled on an ICF wall, has a load, and hence a static force componentsimilar to that of a spring under a load.

The user snaps the channel apparatus over the interlocking edge of theICF block, causing the interlocking alignment features to be totallycovered and protected by said channel apparatus, as depicted in FIG. 2.The channel apparatus as previously described, can be made from amultitude of materials some of which are lightweight durable plastics,such as but not limited to, polyvinyl chloride, which is lightweight,cost effective, durable, and easily handled by one person. The channelmay be cut to lengths that facilitate ease of installation and removalat the job site. Lengths from six to ten feet are likely to be the mostadvantageous. Transportation of the channel apparatus is also made moreeconomically attractive when made from lightweight materials such asplastics, wood or wood by-products, or fiber including carbon fibermaterials, or lightweight metals such as aluminum. A very large numberof different materials are candidates for consideration of use inmanufacturing the apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 2, at the job site, features 7 and 13 facilitate theinstallation and removal of the channel apparatus using bare or glovedhands, as normal dexterity is all that is required to apply and removethe channel apparatus. These features allow workers fingers easy accessto pull off a section of said channel onto and off of ICF blocks,allowing for speedy and efficient installation and removal by a singleindividual without the need of tools.

The dimensionally accurate and conforming fit between the channelapparatus and the ICF block, as depicted in FIG. 2, allows the channelapparatus to snap into place on the block, facilitated by aninterference fit with a static holding force. The important staticholding force is generated by the spring action of the two sides of theapparatus channel, formed with the top of the channel. The said fitcharacteristics of the invention aids in keeping the wall longitudinallystraight by imparting the rigidity of the channel apparatus to the ICFblocks. Additionally, the channel apparatus is sufficiently long as tobridge at least two ICF block joints, ensuring the channel joints do notcoincide with the ICF block joints. As there are two channels runningalong the top of the ICF block wall, one for the outside and one for theinside of the wall, staggering the channels, allows a 100% coverage ofall the ICF block joints, and will impart the maximum possible rigidityto the unfilled ICF block wall.

Features 3, 4, and 9, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, present a flatsurface at the interlocking alignment features interface of the ICFblock, regardless of the specific shape and size of the interlockingalignment features. This surface protects the alignment features frombreakage and concrete contamination. The surface is made to spread theload and has sufficient strength to allow concrete dispensing equipmentto slide across the surface of the channel apparatus without damagingthe ICF block. The weight from said concrete dispensing equipment isdispersed over the surface of the channel apparatus so that the yieldstrength of the material is not exceeded, allowing a low frictionsliding action between the channel apparatus and the concrete dispensingequipment. The channel apparatus may endure scratches and other cosmeticeffects as the result of heavy loads, however the interlocking alignmentfeatures will be unaffected. The friction coefficient between thechannel apparatus and the ICF block is sufficiently large enoughprincipally due to the dimensionally tight fit and spring force affordedby features 2,3,4,5,8,9,11, and 12, thus ensuring the channel apparatusdoes not move when the concrete dispensing equipment is moved. Thesefeatures allow for a robust surface for dispensing equipment to moveacross. The channel apparatus does its job, and stays in place on theblock, protecting the ICF block as well as providing for a surface whichis many times stronger than the ICF block itself.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the apparatus described by features 15through 22, describe the second part of the debris containment system,which also utilizes the channel apparatus to secure it to the ICF block.This cap apparatus, provides a rain, snow, ice, leaves, and generaldebris cap over the unfilled ICF opening. This is most useful duringrainy and winter months whereby large quantities of water and snow tendto fill the bottom portion of the unfilled wall. Concrete cannot bepoured until the unwanted material is removed, which is an extremelycostly and time consuming process. The cap apparatus snaps across theICF opening, interlocking with joining features 10, 15, 16, and 23 inthe channel apparatus. The cap apparatus is arched to provide for thestrongest possible support across the span of the ICF opening, and isdesigned to withstand snow loads as called out in the US building code.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, features 18 and 19 provide openings thatallow reinforcement bar to be inserted into freshly poured concrete,thereby giving heretofore unprecedented accuracy to the placement of thereinforcement bar. Due to the thinned sections, and/or cut and cut-outfeatures 18, the cap apparatus can be installed on an existing wall withprotruding reinforcement bar, as the cuts and cut-outs are on 1 foot orsimilar center spacing, allowing for ease of placement. Feature 19provides for a rail, along which the cuts and/or cut-outs are made.Feature 19 is rigid and provides for strength along the uppermostportion of the arch, and is suitable for pressure to be applied to it,facilitating the manual penetration of the reinforcement bar through thecuts and/or cut-outs, or thinned sections.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, specifically features 15 and 16 provide forpositive snap in of the cap apparatus between the channel apparatuses.Furthermore, a water drip edge overhang is designed into feature 16 toallow rainwater to flow off the top of the cap apparatus and onto thechannel apparatus, thus preventing the runoff from finding its way intothe unfilled ICF cavity.

The cap apparatus is made purposely larger than necessary in the widthdimension so to induce a preset amount of bow, as shown in feature 23 ofFIG. 5. The optimal amount of bow is prescribed for a given type ofmaterial, material thickness, and ICF span distance, in order towithstand the maximum load, which is likely to be due to snow. TypicalICF spans of four, six, eight, and ten inch (representing blocks ofnine, eleven, thirteen, and fifteen inches) are most common, andtherefore a separate cap apparatus is made for each span distance. As inthe channel apparatus, the cap is made in lengths, likely from four toten feet being optimal, and of the same said material types as thechannel apparatus.

At the job site, the cap apparatus is applied after the ICF wall iserected, after the channel apparatus has been applied, and before theconcrete is poured. The cap apparatus seals the ICF wall cavity,features 15 and 16 of the cap apparatus enabling a tight fit with thereceiving features 10 and 11 of the channel apparatus, keeping alldebris and contamination out of the newly erected wall, as can be seenin FIG. 4. When it is time to pour concrete into the wall, which may bedays, weeks, or even several months, the cap apparatus is quicklyremoved, allowing the uncontaminated as-erected wall cavity to be filledwith concrete.

If the wall being built is the first of a multi-story building or thefooting of a single story building, the cap apparatus is re-appliedafter the previous concrete cavity wall pour. Typically, after aconcrete cavity wall pour of a multi-story wall structure, there isapproximately 4 to 6 inches of space left in the ICF cavity. This allowsfor a suitable mating surface for the next wall section. Additionally,reinforcement bar will be utilized to act as vertical strengtheningmembers of the wall, and can be placed through the thinned sections,cuts and/or cut-outs in the cap apparatus. This not only aligns thereinforcement bars keeping them centered in the wall, but provides forthe minimum amount of exposed area around the reinforcement bars thatprotrude through the cap apparatus, thereby preventing undesired amountsof water to pass into the space left in the previous ICF wall section.

The description of the channel and cap apparatuses are to illustrateembodiments of this invention, in sufficient detail, and with manypossible variations to the shapes shown in the drawings. The embodimentsdescribed herein are illustrative and not restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one of many possible physical implementations ,of the channel apparatus

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of the channel apparatus

FIG. 3 is both a cross sectional and perspective view of one of manyembodiments of the cap apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view detailing the installation of the channeland cap apparatuses onto a representative generic Insulated ConcreteForm

FIG. 5 is a detailed close-up cross sectional view of the area where thechannel and cap apparatuses interlock

1. Apparatus that form part of a protection system for the ICFinterlocking alignment surfaces during the ICF wall constructionprocess; Protection against physical damage from machinery, apparatus,concrete, tools and other potentially harmful items used during thefilling of the ICF cavity with concrete.
 2. Apparatus, in conjunctionwith claim 1, that form part of a protection system for the ICF cavityof a newly constructed wall, prior to filling the wall with concrete.This system prevents water, ice, snow, leaves, pine needles, smallanimals such as birds and bats, and other manmade and natural debris andfrom entering the unfilled ICF wall cavity prior to filling the ICFcavity with concrete.
 3. The assembly of claim 1 provides dimensionalstability, longitudinally, to the wall during the filling of said ICFwall cavity with concrete, most readily observed as a straightening ofthe said unfilled wall.
 4. The assembly of claim 1 is turned upside downon a wall footing, accepting a said ICF section. The said assembly isfastened to the footing with a plurality of steel or other types ofnails, bolts, rods, or other fastener. The fastened assembly of claim 1is now set to receive ICF blocks, holding them in their true desiredposition on the footing. The said assembly is left in place after thefirst ICF wall section is poured.
 5. The assembly of claim 1 havingsufficient surfaces to allow the installation and removal of saidapparatus from the newly poured ICF wall, allowing a single individualto install and remove long sections of the said apparatus without needof any help, in a very short time span.
 6. The assembly of claim 1having features that allow suitable friction and spring forces toprevent said assembly from sliding along the ICF surface during thefilling of the ICF cavity with concrete, while other filling apparatusand tools are dragged across the surface of said apparatus.
 7. Theassembly of claim 1 having an outer surface, allowing concrete fillingapparatus such as a hopper or funnel like apparatus, to slide alongthese surfaces, providing a reduced friction surface, which allows thesliding by a single individual of said hopper or funnel, without theneed for wheels or moving parts.
 8. The assembly of claim 1 having areceiving slot to the mating of the apparatus in claim 2, to allow thesaid apparatuses to quickly and easily mate together with a plurality ofmethods including snapping together, interlocking together, slidingtogether using tongue-and-groove, including a plurality of said commonfastening methods.
 9. The assembly in claim 6 being designed to allowthe installation and removal of said apparatus from the newly poured ICFwall, allowing a single individual to install and remove long sectionsof the said apparatus without need of any help, in a very short timespan.
 10. The assembly in claim 2 having a plurality of holes,punch-outs, punch-through areas, and thinned sections, thus allowing forreinforcement bar to penetrate thru said apparatus without incurring alarge aperture whereby said unwanted debris can enter the un-poured wallcavity.
 11. The assembly in claim 2 has a mating receiver slot asdescribed in claim 8, allowing the assembly in claim 2 to quickly andeasily mate together with a plurality of methods including snappingtogether, interlocking together, sliding together usingtongue-and-groove, round-and-groove, including a plurality of saidcommon fastening methods.
 12. The assembly in claim 2 has sufficientrigidity to stop rain, debris, and snow penetration. The spanning natureand arc form of said apparatus enables an extremely strong holdingforce, being held in place by the slots and grooves described in claims8 and
 11. 13. The assembly in claim 2 has an overlapping feature toprovide positive runoff of water and debris from the surface of saidapparatus, directing said debris away from the unfilled ICF wall cavityand over the edge of said wall.
 14. The assembly in claim 10 has, aspart of the top surface, a small flat feature which facilitates ease ofmanufacture when the punch-outs, press-throughs, and holes are made. 15.The assemblies in claims 1 and 2 are ideally made from a plurality ofcommon plastics such as vinyl, poly vinyl chloride, metals such assteel, aluminum, paperboard products, wood, wood by-products, rubbersboth natural and synthetic, combinations of composite products of saidmaterials, although other types of plastic, rubber, wood products,paperboard, and metals may be used which lend themselves to achieve theproperties noted in claims 3 through 14.